A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
by Ed Westwicker
Summary: Welcome to 1899's London, with our favorite Lost characters as socialites and servants. Nothing is as it seems. Rated T for future references. R&R!
1. Introduction

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own LOST, nor do I own any of the characters.. I only own my ideas….Sad times!**

**I hope you guys like this idea. And if you have any suggestions for me to use then please PM or review me as soon as they pop into your noggins!**

**XoXo**

"Miss Burke. There is someone here to see you."

Juliet Burke, esteemed heiress and charming socialite turned her head, her golden curls bouncing against her back and smiled at her young maid. She nodded and waved the maid out of the room. "Thank you, Ana!" she called after Ana's retreating figure. Juliet got up off of the settee and walked gracefully over towards the receiving room. She pasted her most charming smile onto her full lips and walked through the doorway.

"Miss Burke, you look absolutely delightful," the man sitting on a pink covered couch smiled, lighting up his glass-blue eyes. Juliet let out a giggle and sat down on the matching chair, smiling at the man all the while. "I though we might go for a walk if you don't mind."

"Of course, Mr. Carlyle. Why should I mind?" she asked, the smile wavering for just a minute. She replaced by an even brighter one and stood up.

"Let me get you your hat then," Boone said with a radiant smile. Juliet nodded joyfully and turned her head toward the grand staircase. If she knew her sister, and she was sure that she did, Katherine would be careening down the stairs within the minute.

Juliet Burke was the esteemed heiress of a large fortune in the prestigious society of London, England. She was the eldest of the two Burke sisters with her sister Katherine only two years beneath her. According to the columns, she was the good girl in the eyes of society. She could never do a thing wrong, and even if she did, she could skirt over it with no presumable difficulty.

She had long golden blonde hair that fell to her back in loose ringlets, soft features and striking blue eyes. She was one of the most beautiful girls in the society in those days. She had a smile that could light up an entire room and her personality was one of those that were not easily forgotten. Her best friend, Charlotte Staples was the complete opposite.

While Charlotte was indeed beautiful with her aristocratic nose, clear blue eyes and flaming red curls, she was also the talk of the town. But Charlotte was highly jealous and not nearly as good as the columns made her out to be. Juliet knew that Charlotte was the girl that romped around with any handsome, rich, engaging boy that she could find. And yet, somehow they had become the best of friends.

"Juliet!" came a shrill voice from a few steps up the grand staircase. Juliet turned, facing her younger sister. Katherine's dark curls were loose about her face and she had a wild look in her pretty hazel eyes. "Please tell me you are _not_ going on a walk with a certain Boone Carlyle!"

"I couldn't because then I would be lying," Juliet answered simply, turning her own eyes from her sisters. Katherine stomped her high-heeled boots down the stairs and stopped next to Juliet. "Please, Katie, can you please be on your best behavior just for the time he is here?"

"I presume you will need me to be your escort," Katherine said in a clipped tone, narrowing her dark eyes at her sister's fair face. "And don't call me Katie! I am well past that childish nickname!"

"Yes I will need you as an escort. It is hardly proper for one to go out with a man unescorted!" Juliet chided, looking towards the door as Boone stepped through it once again. "I see you found my hat."

"Ah, yes, but not without difficulty!" he smiled, the corner of his perfect mouth perking up. Juliet giggled girlishly while Boone brought her gloved hand to his lips. Katherine just rolled her eyes and called for the maid.

"Naomi! My coat!" she screeched quite harshly. She then stepped up to Juliet and Boone and smiled her most flirtatious smile.

"Ah, the other Miss Burke. Pardon my atrocious manners, miss. I forgot to introduce myself. Mr. Boone Carlyle, at your service," he winked, smiling a brilliant smile at her. Katherine giggled and felt heat color her cheeks.

"There is no need for formalities, Mr. Carlyle. You may call me Katherine," she said, smiling at him brightly. Boone nodded and took Juliet's hand again, leading her through the door and out into the carriage that was waiting for them.

Juliet saw a familiar shock of blond hair peeking out from underneath the driver's top hat and almost gasped, but quickly composed herself again. She smiled at the valet and he smiled back. "Thank you, James," she whispered quietly, so that only he would be able to hear. He nodded silently and helped her into the carriage.

"Thank you, my good sir," Boone said charmingly, pressing a golden coin to the inside of the valet's palm. He nodded and clasped Katherine's hand, who accepted it obligingly as she climbed into the carriage. "To the park it is!" Boone called out, watching as Katherine sat down on the opposite side of Juliet and he.

XoXo

**A/N: Sorry it was so short, just wanted to introduce them to you guys. Not that you haven't met them already. I hope you liked it….I hope it was different than any other stories you've read! Well, at least for LOST.**


	2. TODBMaSIPC

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own LOST, nor do I own any of the characters.. I only own my ideas….Sad times!**

**I hope you guys like this idea. And if you have any suggestions for me to use then please PM or review me as soon as they pop into your noggins!**

**The chapter title is the song, The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage by Panic! At The Disco. Just in case you were wondering.**

**XoXo**

Katherine Austen stepped out of the carriage into the foggy London day. The cold seeped through her ostentatious dress and slipped into her bones. She shivered as she looked around at all of the other attractive, fashionable couples making their rounds through the park. She looked back at her sister, who was gripping the hand of their valet like her entire life depended upon it. Katherine narrowed her pretty hazel eyes, suspecting that something was up, but not quite able to pinpoint it. Then the familiar flutter of nervousness lit in her stomach as Boone Carlyle turned to her with his ice blue eyes sparkling. "I don't believe you could have taken any longer to get out of that carriage!" Katherine said teasingly, fluttering her dark eyelashes.

"Oh, but Miss Katherine, we could have," Boone smiled, winking a perfect eye at her. She giggled and smiled at him. Boone turned to Juliet, intertwined her arm in his and started to walk around the park. Katherine sighed and followed, the realization that she would always be one step behind Juliet hitting her.

Katherine quickly bored of watching Boone and Juliet flirt and turned her eyes to the rest of the couples and their chaperones taking walks in the park. She was lost in the dark green forage of the park and in her thoughts. No matter what she did, she couldn't help but feel a pull to Boone and it was all she could do not to rip her elder sister away from him and just feel warmth of his body next to hers.

"Miss Juliet, I do believe that we should have picked a better chaperone. Your sister is hardly doing her job," Boone laughed, shooting a lopsided grin at Katherine. Katherine grimaced back, knowing that this would somehow or other make it back to her mother.

"Ah, but would you rather have had my mother or father? They hardly seem like the type of chaperones you would want?" Katherine answered, joking with Boone. Boone let out a good-natured laugh and then looked at Juliet, whom he seemed to be consumed with at the moment. Katherine could feel the sharp stab of jealousy rip at her insides.

"Good point, Miss Katherine. Though your mother undoubtedly would have found someone to talk to, which would have allowed us to run off together, would it not?" Boone said quietly, though not quietly enough for Katherine to completely disregard it.

"Excuse me," Juliet gasped, her goodness showing through, "I do believe that you just insulted my sister! She is just as able to talk to fashionable people as much as the next person. Do not doubt her abilities, Mr. Carlyle." She was stiff now, a sign of a temper that almost no one knew about.

"I am terribly sorry, Miss _Burke_," he shot back, the smile completely gone from his handsome features. "But I only meant that your mother would have found a perfectly adequate reason to abate her duties as a chaperone. Where as your sister has found no reason to stare off into space and shirk her duties."

"But you forget, Mr. Carlyle, without me here, you would never had had this opportunity at all," Katherine said flirtatiously, her hazel eyes meeting his blue ones.

"Yes, I did. Thank you Miss Katherine for reminding me," Boone smiled, winking at her again. "I forgot that your pretty eyes must constantly stay on us, but I must admit, this is the perfect moment to get your beauty written in the columns, is it not?" Katherine felt heat rise in her face and it was all she could do not to smile widely at his compliment.

"I am afraid, Mr. Boone, that you are spreading far too much adulation over my sister. A few more words such as those and you will be giving her a large head. I am afraid that soon she will not be able to be seen in such simple company such as us," Juliet joked, shooting a glare at her sister.

Katherine smiled back at her, trying not to let her sister's words sting her. She turned away, and started to watch the couples walking around in plain little circles. She clasped her hands in front of her dress, thinking hard and not paying attention to the idle chatter that Boone and making in front of her. Katherine decided then and there that she would become the adoration of all the blue blooded men in town. She wanted them to want her and possibly marry her. But she couldn't think of that now. She was young, at yet as far from being in love that life could take her. She smiled as her the heels of her slippers clicked on the stones and her skirts whispered on the ground.

XoXo

Charlotte Lewis was sitting on a chair in front of the fire, her skin tingling with warmth, her dress lying expertly around her and her red curls piled artistically on the top of her head. She looked like perfection, except for one thing. Her mouth was turned down in a frown and her sky blue eyes were glaring at the fire. "What are you trying to tell me, mother?" she asked her mother, anger evident on Charlotte's angelic face.

"I am trying to tell you that people are starting to notice that you are not the charming girl that you are so plainly trying to be," Jeanette Lewis said sharply, standing up and pacing up and down the rich floor. Charlotte rolled her eyes and turned to face her mother, her blue eyes narrowed and her torso making her dress seem longer in the front.

Charlotte couldn't explain the anathema she had towards her mother, but it was harsh and her mother was right in the line of it. "So? What do I care? Society will forget mother. They just need to realize that not everything is at it seems," Charlotte snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Take your arms off of your chest! It is not proper and it is ruining your posture!" Jeanette hissed, cocking her head at her daughter in annoyance. "And I see that your astute thinking has not yet dissipated." Charlotte let a tight smile stretch her lips across her teeth for a split second, but then returned to her frosty glare. "Please try and be presentable for your brothers! You know how they hate your avarice for attention!"

"Yes, mother. We all know how _tragic_ it would be to show them how much I have changed, don't we?" Charlotte rolled her eyes and clapped her heads silently in her head. She could have become an actress, couldn't she?

"Mother! We're home!" came a resonating deep voice from the visiting room. Charlotte pursed her lips and turned to face the fire.

"I hope they like the _fit_ on your dress, Mother," she said scathingly, following her mother's large form as she walked out of the room. She could see her mother's shoulders lift and then fall with the weight of knowing that her daughter was a spiteful, horrid girl.

"Liam! Charlie!" her mother squealed. Charlotte rolled her eyes and walked to where her two brothers were standing. She leaned a hip against the doorjamb and pasted a cockeyed smile on her lips. Liam turned to her, his bright eyes full of laughter and smiled. She couldn't help but smile back and felt as though everything was going to be back to normal.

"Is that Charlotte?" Liam teased, walking over to her and plucking a red curl out from her bun and let it fall down her forehead. "My you've grown even more than I could have imagined!"

Charlotte laughed and leaned into her brother's warm embrace. She reached her hand into his dark hair and felt more at ease than she had since they had left. He held her away from him and then turned to Charlie, wanting her twin brother to see the woman that she had become. "I don't believe it! It's my little sister Charlotte!" Charlie teased, walking over to hug her, his blue-grey eyes dancing and the infamous shock of blond hair falling onto his forehead.

"I'm not that much younger than you!" Charlotte pouted; shoving her bottom lip forward and making her top lip almost disappear. "Only a minute!" Charlie and Liam laughed, their faces lighting up in the exact same way.

"Boys. If you don't be quiet, you'll wake Megan. If she wakes now, the house will never be silent!" Jeanette scolded, trying but not succeeding. Charlie just took his shiny black hat off and walked inside, Liam following closely. "Maybe everything will go back to normal now," their mother said quietly, catching Charlotte's eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said hotly, anger resurfacing at a new speed. Jeanette just shook her head and continued inside. "It is not polite to ignore one's daughter, _Mother_!"

XoXo

**A/N: I hope you liked it. Sorry it's so dramatic. But don't worry! Romance and intrigue and possibly some action. I just hope you guys liked it! I will be continuing this one most definitely!**


	3. Nails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own LOST or any of it's characters, I only own my ideas. Awboo to me :(**

Charlotte Lewis walked stiffly into the large sitting room, annoyance weighing heavily on her expression. She turned to the loveseat and sat down, her skirts swirling around her. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her mother. Mrs. Lewis' ill-fitting dress had quickly become the central point of her disdain. Her brothers were sitting on opposite chairs, making polite conversation with their mother and trying as hard as they could not to bring attention to her black mourning dress that looked as though she had to be lathered in oil just to get into it. Tired of being ignored, Charlotte sighed loudly and rolled her eyes.

"Mother, I am afraid that Charlotte is tired of being ignored," Liam teased, a smile spreading across his handsome features and his bright blue eyes sparkling.

"Liam," Charlotte retorted, her temper getting the best of her, "perhaps if you were not so concerned about others doings, you would see that it is not proper to bring attention to one's sister unless needed or asked."

"And if you weren't so _concerned_ about rules and regulations, then you might not worry about being ignored so much!" her twin teased, a half smile perking his lip up.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt, but there is a Mr. Reyes here to see Miss Charlotte," their manservant said in a bored tone. Charlotte jumped up and walked to him, nodding her head slightly. "His card, miss." Charlotte whipped her head around, her red curls bouncing and plucked the card out of his hand.

"Thank you, Karl!" Mrs. Lewis called, watching Karl's retreating back.

Charlotte pushed open the doors and glared defiantly at her friend, Mr. Hugo Reyes. She crossed her arms again and started to pace angrily. How her mother expected her to be still, quiet and perfect all the time was beyond her. Everything had started to fall apart since her father died. There were none of those delicious yelling matches that she and her mother used to indulge themselves in. Everything was still and quiet and Charlotte had to constantly look out for Megan and that led to no fun around town.

:Charlotte," Hugo called, pulling Charlotte out of her thoughts. She turned to face him, her blue eyes bright with expectancy. "You were muttering to yourself and that doesn't make for a very good impression on your guests."

"Yes, but since you know that I am not crazy I have nothing to worry about," Charlotte laughed, her full lips twisting into a delicious smile. Hugo laughed along with her and she knew that he had only been jesting. "You have no idea how tedious this old house is!"

"House!" Hugo squealed, his piggy eyes widening and his eyebrows shooting high into his forehead. "When did this become a house?! No, no, no my dear. This is a mansion!"

"Yes, Hugo, I realize that. For some reason, with five people left to fill this place up, it seems as though we have more room to spare." Charlotte sat down dramatically, her navy blue dress flowing around her like water.

"Now that you mention it, your home does seem quite quiet," Hugo drawled, gesturing towards the room.

"I believe that is because Megan is not awake yet." Hugo nodded, falling silent. Charlotte began to tap her elegant pianist finger against the armrest and tried to think of some juicy piece of gossip to delve into.

"Is that Hugo I hear?" Liam called, gaining a hush from his mother. Liam pushed open the doors and smiled widely at Charlotte's friend.

"You're back!" Hugo exclaimed, jumping off of his seat. Liam smiled and nodded, looking back at the doors that Charles had just comes through.

"That was a more exuberant welcome than we got from Charlotte and she's our sister!" Charles laughed, shooting Charlotte a wink. Charlotte rolled her eyes and blew a lock of hair away from her face.

Hugo shot a smile back at her that lit up his round face and yet Charlotte was not amused. When her brothers were gone, it was almost as though she ruled the house. She had always had more power over her mother than even she cared to admit. But now the boys had had their triumphant return and Charlotte's fleeting reign of power was now gone forever. While Liam may be leaving within the week, Charles had promised their mother that he wouldn't be leaving again. This new revelation left Charlotte feeling drained and annoyed at everything in her way.

XoXo

Penelope Widmore stepped out from behind the changing curtain and spun around. Her red silk gown flowed and spun and swirled around her legs. She beamed at her older brother and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Desmond laughed and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around. Penelope laughed and released her death grip on his neck. "Happy birthday, Pen," he yelled loudly.

"Shut up, Dez!" Penelope giggled, hitting her brother hard. "I don't want the whole world to hear!"

"Whether you want the whole world to know or not, Penelope, they do," her other brother, Daniel, smirked. "And it's all thanks to those gossip columns that you read so faithfully."

"Well, _Daniel_, perhaps if you read the columns you would know that a certain Juliet Burke is looking for a suitable husband," Penelope laughed, winking at him over the changing screen.

"Be that as it may," Daniel retorted, picking up a shiny bauble and examining it. "Juliet could hardly be any fun to be around. I think that her sister, Katherine, is more my type."

"Ah, yes, the infamous Katherine Burke," Desmond smirked, shooting a brown-eyed gance at his brother. "Unfortunately she seems to be taking a turn down the Charlotte Lewis path. A few more years and she could be quiet distasteful."

"Daniel, I do believe that Desmond may have fallen in love with Juliet," Penelope teased, stepping out from the curtain in a luxurious black skirt and an ivory westkit. "Maybe we should arrange a social call for him."

"I think that quite unnecessary, Penelope," Desmond said sternly, talking his siblings out of the Aime boutique. "Our mother has a social call arranged for the young Miss Littleton and I."

Penelope feel silent, her big brown eyes sparking with intrigue. She could hardly believe that her eldest brother was going to find someone to marry. Soon it would be only Penelope and Daniel in the house along with their mother and father. Penelope's life was quickly going from exciting and gossip worthy, to poor, drab and hardly worth talking about.

XoXo

Boone Carlyle stepped into his ornate mansion and sat down heavily. While he enjoyed having two women as company, he enjoyed Katherine's company much more than Juliet's. Juliet was prim and proper and stiff, never asking questions and always worried about whether she was perfect enough for everyone's fancy. But Katherine was the exact opposite. Katherine could care less about how the world saw her as long as she had fun. Society could learn a few things from her.

"I do believe you are going crazy, my friend," Jack Shepherd laughed from his seat. Boone jumped and then started to laugh maniacally.

"What are you doing in here?" Boone asked breathlessly, taking off his hat and hanging his coat up. "I mean, obviously my father knows you're here, but _why_ are _you_ here?"

"Because we need to talk," Jack said seriously, his smile sliding off of his face. He started to fiddle with his hat, nervousness conveyed over every single on of his features.

"Ah, yes," Boone chuckled, walking over to a table to fix himself a drink. "I must say that I have greatly missed your famous talks. Drink?"

"Yes, thank you," Jack replied, raking fingers through his short brown hair. Boone fixed himself and Jack brandies. He turned around to face his friend with a bright smile lighting up his handsome features.

"So, what is this _serious_ thing you need you need to about?" Boone teased, winking at Jack and taking a small sip of his drink.

"It's about Claire," Jack said solemnly, watching a drop of water ride down the smooth glass. Boone looked at his friend incredulously, one eyebrow raised and his lips pursed as though he was thinking very hard about something. "It's about Claire and her marriage."

"Oh no! Your sister is getting married!" Boone laughed, winking at Jack playfully.

"She's getting married to Desmond Widmore. If everything goes according to plan," Jack sighed mournfully. Boone choked on his drink and stared at his friend unabashedly.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own LOST, I only own my ideas. Which, at the moment, is working out just fine!**

**XoXo**

Boone Carlyle was not one of those people who characterized people as good or bad. The reason for this was the fact that he himself was not a generally good person. He was a drunk, he got into fights, he hated both his step-father and mother, and he loved many women. But Desmond Widmore was much, much worse than that. Desmond was a drunk that had no regard for anyone else, got into _public_ fights with anyone and everyone, he hated his younger brother along with his mother and father, and loved many, many more women than Boone had.

Envisioning Claire Littleton walking down the aisle with Desmond on her arm and becoming a Widmore made Boone shudder. It was like watching his stepsister marry Hugo Reyes, Charlotte Lewis' henchman. He shuddered at the thought of poor, innocent Claire become hurt and angered by that vile man. He could see her large blue eyes encircled by hurt and hatred, her long blonde hair lank with lack of care and her skinny body turned even paler by the lack of the sun's warmth on her face.

"Do you see my dilemma now?" Jack moaned, catching his head in his hands. Normally Boone forgot about the two long years that separated the two friends, but now he was aware of every day of those two years. "How can Claire be married to that . . . that . . . ."

"Calm yourself, Jack," Boone cooed standing up and placing a hand on the back of Jack's chair. Jack turned to his friend and offered a feeble smile. "Everything will turn out right. With either Desmond breaking it off or Claire deemed as too young to marry."

Jack sighed and stood up, placing his tumbler on a nearby table and stuck his hat on the top of his sleekly pomaded hair. He took a few steps toward the large door and then turned around to face Boone again. "I must bid you adieu as it seems that I must get ready for the Lewis' ball tonight," Jack smiled, bowing good-naturedly. "But I hope that you're right. For both of us."

Boone smiled and nodded, picking up both of the tumblers, finishing one of them off and then kicked open the doors to the kitchen. He gave one of the servants the glasses and pranced up the stairs. A giddy mood had filled his mind and he was just anticipating an evening full of pretty girls swathed in perfume and expensive fabrics. He was just about to float into his room when he was stopped by both his mother and stepsister. His mother's sharp blue eyes were boring into him while his stepsisters warm blue eyes were smiling at him knowingly. Boone looked between the both of them, confusion lighting up his brain. Shannon cocked her blonde head and watched Boone's every move. Boone gulped and then smiled at the both of them, shutting his bedroom door. "Yes? May I help you?" Boone asked slowly, looking at his mother.

"Yes," his mother answered, a smile twitching on her lips. "Your father and I cannot go to the ball at the Lewis' tonight so your Aunt Jacqueline will be her chaperone."

"What does this have to do with me?" Boone asked irritably, crossing his arms over his chest. His mother rolled her eyes and tapped her foot. Shannon smiled at her stepbrother and whisked into his room. "Hey! Shannon! Mother, stop her!"

"Boone," Mrs. Rutherford sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's two years your junior."

"And? I don't want to spend my entire life babying a girl I barely know! That's your job!" Boone snarled, narrowing is icy blue eyes. Mrs. Rutherford narrowed her own eyes to match her sons and crossed her silk covered arms over her chest. She opened her perfectly round mouth to reply to her son, but was cut off by her new husband.

"Watch your tone, son," Jonathon Rutherford scolded in a low tone, narrowing his brown eyes. "Now, go prepare for the ball."

"I'm not going in there until you _remove_ your daughter!"

"Listen to me, _Boone,"_ he growled, shoving his stepson against the wall.

"Jonathon!" Mrs. Rutherford screeched from where she was perched. "Let him go!"

Jonathon ignored his wife and continued berating his son. "You go in there, you change into _presentable_ clothing and then you wait with your sister until the carriage arrives. Do you understand me?" Boone pushed his stepfather off of him and then angrily stalked away. "Get back here young man! You will listen to me!"

Boone turned around, the handsome features of his face were alight with anger. He brought his cold blue eyes to meet his stepfathers harsh brown ones and felt hatred race through his blood. "I do _not_ have to listen to you," Boone growled keeping his voice low. "Because you are not my father, nor do you have any jurisdiction over what I do and don't do." And with that, Boone Carlyle turned on his heel and walked out of the house without a second thought.

XoXo

Claire Littleton sat at her bureau, watching as her maid twisted her hair into an elegant contraption on the top of her head. Her chest rose and fell within the confines of her champagne-colored silk gown. She smiled as her maid stepped away and reached a pale, long fingered hand to touch her hair. She waved her maid away and picked a powder brush up and quickly swept it across her face, clearing away anything unsightly. She then tiptoed to her closet and delicately pulled out matching silk high heeled slippers. Once she was completely finished with her preparations, she stepped into the hallway, her heels sinking into the deep carpet.

"Claire! Are you ready yet?" her father called up the elaborate staircase, causing Jack to emerge from his room and Claire to sink into the shadows.

"Yes, father!" she yelled back, watching as Jack looked at her with compassionate brown eyes. "What?"

"Nothing," Jack sighed, shaking his head. Claire raised one fair eyebrow and nodded, descending the staircase like the well-bred woman she was. "Actually, I do have something I want to say." Claire turned to look at her brother, her blonde curls bouncing.

"Yes?" she asked, her red lips twisting up in a smile. "I am listening."

"Are you really planning on marrying Desmond Widmore?" he asked in disbelief. Claire scoffed and shook her head. "Is that a no?"

"You have to remember that I am just a simple girl, someone incapable of making her own decisions and here you are, asking me as though I really have a choice." Claire laughed and continued down the stairs. Jack followed her, his lips pursed as though he was think hard.


End file.
